How-To Geek

If you have had connection issues with virtual private networks (VPNs) on your Android phone or tablet, you’re not alone. A bug with always-on VPNs in Android 16 is causing connections to fail, and Google has been aware of the problem for months.

Remember the satisfaction of a Word document you took the time to format perfectly, or an Excel workbook you were actually proud to have built from scratch? Well, today, that personal touch is being replaced by "agentic" AI—software that performs tasks autonomously—and Microsoft 365 is pivoting to the boardroom.

When anyone thinks of a Netflix subscription, one thing comes to mind—movies and TV. Whether it's Oscar-winning films or television, there's so much entertainment. A few of those Netflix shows have perfect runs, according to some fans. And one that everyone always talks about is Stranger Things, created by the famous Duffer Brothers, Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer.

Flat Ethernet cables give you a sleek, out-of-the-way option instead of those big, round cables that are just tough to conceal and many are great for gaming. Its thin, ribbon-like shape makes it great for tucking under carpets, along baseboards, or neatly behind your entertainment center. This helps you get that clean, professional look without needing a lot of in-wall wiring. However, what a lot of people don't know is that chasing this minimalist style actually comes with a huge, hidden cost to the foundation of your network. Before you decide to wire your home with these aesthetically pleasing options, you really need to handle the level of compromise you're making.

Motion-activated lighting is one of the first smart home automations that many people try. It's relatively simple to set up, only requires a couple of devices, and provides immediate results. The trouble is, it's an automation that's almost bound to fail.

Are you one of those people who breaks into a cold sweat at the thought of opening a Linux terminal? Do you picture yourself accidentally breaking your entire system with a single misplaced character? If so, you're not alone—but you're also buying into some seriously outdated myths.

I recently decided to turn my old laptop with a broken screen into a DIY NAS by adding a USB-C hub and a 6TB external drive—and it didn't take me long to realize that this boring storage hub could do a lot more than just store my files.

Many of the fancier 3D printers now run their own internal web server that you can log into from any browser on your LAN. This usually lets you control the printer, use its internal camera, if any, and pretty much manage your printer without having to stand around in vaporized plastic fumes.

Kindles have low-power e-ink screens, which are perfect for reading books. However, that's not all they're perfect for. I've been tinkering with my Kindle for the past few months, and I figured out some neat things it can do.

Google Wallet is one of those apps that many of us use every day. It's so simple to set up that once you've added your payment card, you might never look at it again. Yet it has got several extra features that are incredibly helpful, but which you might never find if you don't know where to look. Here are the ones I find most useful.

In the 2026.3 update, Home Assistant added a very useful new feature. It's now possible to match your robot vacuum's map to defined areas in your home. This makes it easy to get your robot vacuum to clean specific rooms.

Linux Mint has earned a reputation as a Linux distro that's easy to get started with, thanks to its "batteries-included" setup, including popular media codecs. If you don't want Linux Mint, there are plenty of other distros geared toward people new to Linux.

You can't deny soundbar tech has gotten pretty amazing. High-end units now give you impressive clarity, crisp dialogue, and a surprisingly good width from just one sleek box. Today's soundbars are packed with multiple dedicated amplifiers, custom-designed drivers, and really powerful digital signal processing, which makes you wonder why some audiophiles hate them.

Depending on your computer and your motherboard, you might either have a lot of options for storage or you might not. The very best motherboards come with a ton of M.2 slots, but in others, you might be lucky to get two—and sometimes, you'll just have one.

I was working in my shop one day when a cut came out slightly off, but I couldn’t tell with the naked eye. I had to break out my calipers to find out what the problem was, and it was less than 0.05 of an inch—it was a millimeter. That’s when I realized it was time to ditch the imperial measurement system for something more accurate: metric.

Pop!_OS keeps getting recommended as the obvious beginner Linux distro, usually based on a few convenient defaults. It installs Nvidia drivers automatically, ships with a polished tiling workflow, and comes from System76, a company that also sells Linux laptops and desktops, which creates the impression of something closer to a vertically integrated stack.

Buying a used vehicle always comes with its share of unknowns, but when you add a high-voltage battery, a complex braking system, and a more expansive warranty to the mix, things can get a little more confusing. While a well-maintained hybrid can easily cruise past the 200,000-mile mark, the hidden costs of a neglected one can erase any potential fuel savings.

Who's ready to start their week off with some thrills? It might be a Monday, but the excitement of the weekend does not have to end. One of my favorite categories on Netflix is thrillers, a diverse genre with plenty of options. Whether you want action or horror with your excitement, the streamer's thriller page has it all.

It may officially be spring, and while we do very much encourage you to get outside and breathe the warmer air, us movie diehards still need to unwind during the week with a good movie or two.

Mozilla has started rolling out Firefox 149, one day ahead of schedule. It focuses on smarter multitasking and productivity-focused features. The latest version finally delivers a built-in split-screen mode that’s been in testing for months. There’s also a polished interface with updated visuals. Here’s everything new in Firefox 149.